Slip actuator for rotary drilling machines



March 20, 1951 w, MOORE 2,545,627

SLIP ACTUATOR FOR ROTARY DRILLING MACHINES Filed Jan. 15, 1946 '7 Sheets-Sheet l a 3nventor George Waldo Moore.

March 20, 1951 G. w. MOORE SLIP ACTUATOR FOR ROTARY DRILLING MACHINES 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 15, 1946 3m entor Georye \/\/a [dc Moore.

(Ittomeg March 20, 195! G. w. MOORE SLIP ACTUATOR FOR ROTARY DRILLING MACHINES 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 15, 1946 I'mventor 002%;

, George h/aldio M W ii/i; auorneu 7 March 20, 1951 w, MQQRE 2,545,627

S LIP ACTUATOR FOR ROTARY DRILLING MACHINES Filed Jan. 15, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Snnentor Ggorge Waldo Moore March 1951 G. w. MOORE ,2!

SLIP ACTUATOR FOR ROTARY DRILLING MACHINES Filed Jan. 15, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 g I 3nnentor @zargg W2 [gig 1700M MM Cifi'omeg March 20, 1951 e. w. MOORE SLIP ACTUATOR FOR ROTARY DRILLING MACHINES Filed Jan. 15. 1946 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 g 4 INVENTOR @aokya Walda Moore,

ATTORNEY arch 29, 11951 G. W. MOORE SLIP ACTUATOR FOR ROTARY DRILLING MACHINES '7 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed Jan. 15, 1946 INVENTOR George \A/a/a'o Moore. BY W ATTORNEY "in the well;

" use of. said drilling machine Another object of my invention is to. provide ilfa llic or pneumatic. cylinders.

jfjigure a is a s'ide. elevation of still another- 'modi fied form of slip actuator, and with parts Patented Mar. 20, 1951 'sm sermon BOB, DRILLING MACHINES George Waldo Moore, Long Beach, Galif. Application. JanuaryIS, 1946 Serial; No. Gil-12 4 Claims. I (Cl. 255-Z3I invention relates ta a. power meansaof liftthe slips for disengagement or lowering them.

} f hjr engagement the-drill pipe, casing, tubing on? the like in order-that? the: pipe, etc, may be frel-yraised from or lowered; into the well;

An. object ot'my invention is to provide a. novel power-operated; slip mechanism to perform the functions related above and which. will permitrotation of the pipe. eta, and the; rotary table while the slips are i112lihfi1fl'WGlEd; position and engaged with-the pipeand. suspending; the. pipe objector my invention is to: provide a novel.

connection. with the standard rotary drilling mas chine, and which does not,- alter the operation 01'? a...r-Iovel powerslip actuator for rotary drilling machines which lowers the slips for contact:

engagement with. the: pipe, or raises the slips for free: passage of the pipe through the rotary table. from above. thus.= fiolilowing: the: standard pro.-

f cedurein moving the: slips;

A. feature or invention is that-nut slip actui ator may be attached to: mounted upon. the usual rotary drilling machme without material-Ty changing or altering: the character of saidi Other objects,-. advantages and features: of invention. may appear from the accompanying drawing, the subizoined detailed description, and

appended claims.

' In. the drawing;-

Figure 1 is. a side. elevation of my slip acti-rat'or mounted orr'a. rotary drilling machine and v 7 broken away to show interior construction. .1 "Figure 2 isa top plan view of'thesame.

Figure a. side elevation similar to and showing a modified form ofslip actuator; 'Figure 4' is a top plan view of the structure v shown in Figure 3.

Figure-Sis. a view similar toFi'gure 1., and showmg" still another modified form of slip actuator. Figure" 6 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 5.

, Ffigure 'Z is atop. lan view. of the slip actuator showing the pipin necessaryvto actuate the. hy

brolgfen away to show interior construction.

Fame 9 is a top, plan view of the same.

. 2 fled form of slip. actuator.. and with parts, broken away to show interior construction.

F-igure; 1l a. top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 10 Figure. 12. is still another modified form of slip actuator and with parts. broken away to. show interior construction Figure 13 a. top plan. view of the structure shown. in. Figure 12.

Referring more particularly to the. drawing, the. numeral 1, indicates a. rotary drilling machine of. usual and well-known construction, and the drive. details. are of. no moment as far as this application is concerned. The only structural parts. which are of interest will. be. subsequently described. The main irame or housing, 2 of, the drilling, machine is a large heavy casting, and,

mounted on. the floor. of. the derrick in theusual'. and well-known manner... The tapered slip. seat or master bushing. 3. is also. usual and. well-known., and. this slip. seat. is rotated by the. power drive extending. to the rotary table, and again. this. structure is usual and well-known. The slips L which engage the. pipe tubing, drill. stem. or the. like, fit in the seat 3, and when the slips are. in. the lowermost position they are, gripping the or the like. When the. slips. are. moved up-. wardly. they follow the taper or seat 3. and thus move away from the pipe or the like to: disengage the same. In ordinary practice, there. are usually three or four slips seated within the master bushing 3, and these slips. cause the pipe, drill stem. or the. like to rotate with; the moving part of. the: rotary drilling machine. When it is necessary to raise or remove. the. pipe. from the well as itisslips; are. then inserted inthe master bushingto engage. with the pi which is. then lowered. a

short distance. into the well until. the. teeth or slips are imbedded. suificiently in the exterior or the pipe. tosupport the section of pipe remaining; in the well.

or the joint to be unscrewedv and. another tong; called a backup is engaged with the. lowermost portion oi the joint. in order to resist rotation of the pipe when the breakout tong is moved to: unscrew the connection. The use of a. backup. tong is; necessary when the grip. of the slips is: not

A wrench, or tong, called a lorealr' out. is then engaged with the uppermost, part derrick which remains stationary and. the section a of pipe remaining in the well which is rotated The free section of pipe is then either laid down or set back in the derrick, the elevators disengaged and lowered for connection to the pipe extending above the rotary tablefor hoisting'into the derrick whence the operation is repeated.

When it is necessary to lower the pipe into the well, the procedure is to first raise the pipe enough to take the load on of the slips after a new section has been screwed into the pipehanging in the slips, far enough to'take the load off of the slips. This action will free the slips from en agement with the pipe to the extent that the slips may be withdrawn from the tapered bowl of the master bushing and the pipe lowered into the wellwithoutinterference from the slips.

' Considering first the modification shown in Figures .1 and 2, a plurality of hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders are fixedly mounted on the base or frame'Z of the rotary table. Each cylinder includes a piston B and a piston rod 1. A slip' ring .or track 8 is positioned above'the rotary' table I, and is of a suflicient diameter to lie at approximately the outer periphery of the rotary table. A supporting arm 9 extends from each or the piston rods 1 to the track 8. These supporting arms are fixedly attached to the upper end of the piston rods and also to the bottom of the track 8. It will thus be evident that the track 8 is non-rotatably held above the upper face of the rotary table, but it can be moved vertically when the hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders 5 are actuated. The raised position of the track is shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. A slip ring I0 is mounted in the track 8,.and this slip ring moves with the rotating part of the rotary table-that is, it is dragged around as the slips rotate, as will be subsequently described. A plurality of arms I! extend horizontally from the slip ring l0, and a link 12 is pivotally secured to the outer end of each arm I l and extends downwardly, and is pivotally attached to the upper end of one of the slips 4--that is, there is one link 2 for each slip. It will be evident that when the track 8 is lifted, as shown in dotted lines in Figure I, the links 12 will pull the slips upwardly as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. When the Slips are thus pulled upwardly and outwardly, the pipe, casing or drill stem will be released and can be moved as required. The edges of the track 8 may overhang the slip ring IE, as shown at 53, so that theslips can be pushed downwardly to a seated position by power means-that is, by actuating the power cylinders 5. In other words, the track not only lifts the slips, but also can serve to push them downwardly to a seated position.

In Figure '7, I have shown the pipe lines necessary to conduct a pressure fiuidto the various cylinders. A control valve I4 is mounted at some point close to where the driller willstand, and

from this control valve extend the pressure line.

l'5and thereturn line H. The pressure line 15 extends to all of the cylinders 5, and'similarly the iii) return line l6 extends from all of the cylinders and thence back to the valve.

In Figures 3 and 4, a modified means of raising the slips 4 is shown, and consists of a plurality of hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders 11 each cylinder including a piston rod l8. A channel ring is is fixedly mounted on the upper ends of the piston rods lS-that is, the channel ring I9 is moved vertically when the cylinders l1 are actuated as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3.

-A track is mounted on brackets 2|, which brackets are attached to the stationary frame or housing 2 of the rotary table. A slip ring 22 'is seated in the track 20 and is dragged around in this track as the rotating part of the table moves. A link 23 is pivotally attached to the upper end ofjeachofthe slips 4 and this link is also pivotally attached to the outer end of a bell from the hoisted mechanism sufficiently far crank 24- The bell crank 24 is also pivoted to a bracket 25 on the ring 22. An operating lever 26 is also pivotally attached to the bracket 25,

and one end of this lever extends into the chairn'e'l l9 and the other end is provided with apin 21, which pin engages the outer end of the bell crank 24. The dotted line position in Figure3 will show the manner in which lever 26 swings the bell crank 24 inorder to'move the slips 4-" into the raised or disengaged position.

. 'InFigures 5 and 6 still another modified form of'my invention is disclosed in which'the pneu-= mati'c or hydraulic cy1inders'30'are mounted o'n Each cylinder" the frame 2 of the rotary table. includes a piston rod 3|, and anarm 32 is fixedly secured to the piston rod 31 and supports an an-'i nular'track 33. A slip ring 34 slides in the track 33in the same manner as previously described. Each of the slips 4 is provided with a link 35, which is pivotally attached to the top of the slip and also to the inner end of a bell crank 36. The" bell cranks 36 are each pivotally mounted on brackets 31 on the slip ring 34. A stationary cam ring 38'is mounted on arms 39, which rise from the frame of the rotary table; The outer or swinging end of the bell 'crank 36 engages the cam 38, and when the bell crank is moved upwardly, it will swing around its pivot causing the" slips 4 to be moved upwardly and outwardly, as

shown in dotted lines in Figure 5.

In Figures 8 and 9, I have shown still another modifiedform of moving the slips 4, and consisting of a stationary pressure conduit 40. This conduit includes an annular bearing 4!, which bearing receives a rotating ring 42 mounted on or attached to the rotating part of the drilling machine or the master bushing. 3. A plurality of pistons 43 are mounted on or integrally formed.

with the ring 42. A conduit in the ring 42 is open to the conduit and thus carries pressure to each of the cylinders 43. The piston rod 45 of each cylinder 43 is pivotally attached to av link 46,'which extends to one of the slips 4. Thus,

when fluid pressure is conducted through the conduit 40, the cylinders 43 will be simultaneously actuated, thus raising the piston rods 45 and the links 45, causing the slips to be removed upwardly to the position shown in dotted lines,

in Figure 8.

The modificationshown in Figures 10 and i1,

is very similar to the structure shown in Figures 1 and 2, with the exception that the slips are keyed to the master bushing and move in a key way, as will be subsequently described. The stationary cylinders 56 support an annular race 5|" on arms 52; The master bushing 3 is provided with'a key-way 53 forea'ch' of-the slips 4. The slips are each provided with a lug 54, which fits in the key way 53. The links 55 are secured at one end to the lugs 54 and at the other end to an arm 56 mounted on the slip ring 51, all as previously described in the detailed description of Figures 1 and 2. The slips when they move vertically will move in the key way 53, and thus will be moved outwardly in a more accurate manner and the pipe or other part which is gripped by the slip will be, more effectively released.

In Figures 12 and 13, I have shown a means of actuating slips, which require not only vertical movement for disengagement but also a swinging movement in that the slips are hinged together, and it is necessary to swing the slips around these hinges when the pipe is disengaged. The slip structure 50 is usual and well-known in the art, and two of the slips are hinged to a third slip, as shown at 6!. The cylinders 82 are stationary and are mounted on the frame 2 of the rotary table. Each cylinder is provided with an arm 63, which supports a track 6 5. The track is stationary insofar as rotary motion is concerned. However, the track is moved vertically when the cylinders are actuated, the raised position of the track being shown in dotted lines in Figure 12.

A cam block 65 is mounted in the track 94 and slides therein, being dragged around with the master bushing 3 by means of links 66, which are attached at one end to the slips 60 and the other end extending into cam slots 67. The cam slots 61 impart a partial rotation to the slips 69 when the track 64 is raised. One of the slips it is not rotated but is merely moved outwardly or inwardly relative to the center line of the table, and this slip has a separate link 68, the upper end of which slides into a block 69. In the modification last described, the slips are not only moved upwardly and outwardly, but are also swung radially around a pivot in order to disengage the slips from the pipe.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination with a rotary drilling table, a stationary main frame on which said table is rotatably supported, a rotatable slip seat integrally formed with said table and positioned in the center of said table, slips positioned on said seat, a plurality of vertical power cylinders fixedly mounted on said frame and adjacent the periphery of the frame, a piston rod in each power cylinder, an annular track above said drilling table, and concentric with said slip seat, said piston rods supporting the annular track, a slip ring slidably mounted on the track, links mounted on the slip ring and extending inwardly and downwardly from said slip ring and attached to said pipe engaging slips.

2. In combination with a rotary drilling table, a stationary main frame on which said table is rotatably supported, a rotatable slip seat integrally formed with said table and positioned in the center of said table, slips positioned on said seat, a plurality of vertical power cylinders fixedly mounted on said frame and adjacent the periphery of the frame, a piston rod in each power cylinder, an annular track above said drilling table, and concentric with said slip seat,

said piston rods supporting the annular track, a slip ring slidably mounted on the track, links mounted on the slip ring and extending inwardly and downwardly and attached to said pipe engaging slips, said links moving the pipe engaging slips upwardly and outwardly to disengage and free the pipe when said power cylinders are actuated.

3. In combination with a rotary drilling table, a stationary main frame on which said table is rotatably supported, a rotatable slip seat 'integrally formed with said table and position in the center of said table, slips positioned on said seat, a plurality of vertical power cylinders fixedly mounted on said frame and adjacent the periphery of the frame, a piston rod in each power cylinder, an annular track above said drilling table and concentric with said slip seat, said piston rods supporting the annular track, a slip ring slidably mounted on the track, links mounted on the slip ring and extending inwardly and downwardly from said slip ring and at tached to said pipe engaging slips, all of said power cylinders being simultaneously actuated.

4. In combination with a rotary drilling table, a stationary main frame on which said table is rotatably supported, a rotatable slip seat integrally formed with said table and positioned in the center of said table, slips positioned on said seat, a plurality of vertical power cylinders .fixedly mounted on said frame and adjacent the periphery of the frame, a piston rod in each power cylinder, an annular track above said drilling table and concentric with said slip seat, said piston rods supporting the annular track, a slip ring slidably mounted on the track, links mounted on the slip ring and extending inwardly and downwardly from said slip ring and attached to said pipe engaging slips, an annular lip formed on the outer edge of said track and extending inwardly, said lip engaging said ring whereby the ring, the links and the slips are urged downwardly with said track.

GEORGE WALDO MOORE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,341,702 Black June 1, 1920 1,656,864 Martin Jan. 17, 1928 1,883,073 Stone Oct. 18, 1932 2,076,042 Penick et al. Apr. 6, 1937 2,109,546 McLagan Mar. 1, 1938 2,340,597 Kelle Feb. 1, 1944 r 

